Bird Watching, Galway (Ireland)

Great Blue Heron, Galway

I assume everyone loves birds. If you happen to be in Galway City, County Galway you should spend some time with the birds, not only watching them but feeding them as well and most importantly, photographing them.

Where to watch birds in Galway?

Well, the Irish should know better, the only place i would recommend is at the point where River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. In other words, from along Claddagh Quay to Nimmo's Pier. It's only a three minute or so walk from the city/town center. Galway city isn't that big relatively, so you won't miss it anyway as i believe those tourist guides will definitely bring you there. Basically, you can find birds anywhere in Galway, but for me personally the aforementioned place is the best.

Nimmo's Pier, Galway

Swan

What Birds?

The most common birds you'll find in Galway (from my experience) are:

- Swans (hehehe, common enough everywhere)
- Mallards (those duck with green necks (male) and mottled-brownish feathers(female)
- Ring-billed Gulls
- Laughing Gulls
- Icelandic Gulls
- Herring Gulls
- Glaucous Gulls
- American Herring Gull
- Little Auk
- Grey Phalarope
- Forster's Tern
- Great Blue Heron

Photography-wise, it's pretty easy to photograph these birds as they quite "friendly". If you are quite serious about photography and love photographing birds in flight, one tip from me is to have one of your friends to feed the birds (especially the seagulls) with bread or other stuff while you photograph the birds floating in front of your friend from 1-2 feet back. A zooming lens is recommended in that case. One more thing, contrary to popular belief, herons tend to sit still. They are not afraid of you actually.